This story has been updated. A representative from the U.S. Transportation Department said he’s “extremely concerned” Haines won’t meet a deadline for completing environmental reviews required to move forward with its $25 million Lutak Dock rebuild project. The news came in a Friday letter from David Bohnet, a grants supervisor for the Transportation Department. He […]
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Posted inLetters to the Editor
Keep Handymax cargo ships out of Lutak
Lutak Dock and the plan we choose for it will affect the sustainability of our food basket of hooligan, salmon, halibut, shrimp, and crab from our local watersheds. The plan we choose will impact whether or not we will have humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, seals, otters, bald eagles, multiple species of migratory birds coming […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Tone down Lutak Dock rhetoric
Let’s tone down the rhetoric. Assembly member Natalie Dawson has a great idea — let’s plan discussions about the challenges that we are faced with. Is the freight dock an ore terminal? Are environmentalists the only folks that speak the truth? Should we fear multinational corporations like DOWA or Patagonia? Let’s do what assembly member […]
Posted inNews, Southeast News, Local News
Haines leaders pitch public vote on future use of Lutak Dock
During the yearslong fight over what should happen to Haines’ cargo dock on Lutak Road, one theory keeps coming up – the idea that the city may be coordinating a $20 million project to overhaul the dock at the behest of local mining interests that want a port to store and offload ore. Regardless of […]
Posted inNews, Southeast News
Here’s where Lutak Dock stands after revelations of steel order
By Lex Treinen and Rashah McChesney Borough officials are on edge waiting for news from the federal government about where the $25 million Lutak Dock replacement project stands after revelations that its contractor ordered millions of dollars worth of steel before getting approval. “We really don’t know anything until MARAD responds to us,” said borough […]
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‘They did this at their own risk’ Borough officials say Lutak Dock contractor spent $10M on steel without approval
The contractor tasked with rebuilding Lutak Dock spent nearly $10 million on steel without authorization from the federal government. Haines Borough officials say they didn’t authorize the purchase either. But, documents shared with CVN raise questions about what borough officials knew and when. They include a Nov. 17 email from Turnagain informing the borough that it had spent millions […]
Posted inNews
Pressure builds around Lutak Dock rebuild discussions
Pressure is building on the Haines Borough Assembly to look into a $20 million project to rebuild Lutak Dock as a cargo facility for the borough after dozens of residents wrote into the assembly to request the project be slowed down or put on hold. The project has divided the community for months, with opponents saying the borough doesn’t […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Let’s protect biodiversity of Chilkoot/Lutak
Per linear mile, per square mile, the Chilkoot/Lutak watershed/inlet holds more biodiversity (land, river, and marine wildlife), tourism attraction, quality of life assets for residents and production of healthy seafood (hooligan, salmon, dolly varden, shrimp, crab, halibut, seals) than any other portion of this amazing place we call home. Let’s treat the Chilkoot/Lutak watershed/inlet corridor […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Slow spending for Lutak, Porcupine projects
The Haines Borough government broke the rules on the FEMA-funded Porcupine Road project this summer, and FEMA pulled the funding, leaving local taxpayers with a bill for $1.4 million. That hurts, but it’s also a warning. The Haines Borough government is also breaking the rules with the $20 million RAISE grant that could fund the Lutak Dock rebuild. That money is […]
Posted inNews
Outgoing planning commission grants permit for controversial Lutak Rd. gravel project
Despite pushback from people who called the project a risk to public safety, members of Haines’ outgoing planning commission granted a permit for a company to blast into a hillside along Lutak Road to extract hard rock and other material. During the planning commission meeting on Monday (Oct. 23), members heard pushback from a handful of people […]